Despedida by Maria Grever: A Song of Farewell and Love
Maria Grever was the first female Mexican composer to achieve international acclaim. She wrote more than 1000 songs, mostly boleros, that reached audiences in Latin America, Europe, and the United States. She is best known for the song \"What A Difference A Day Makes\" (originally \"Cuando vuelva a tu lado\"), which was popularized by Dinah Washington and has been covered by numerous artists[^1^].
How to Download Despedida by Maria Grever in PDF Format
One of her lesser-known but equally beautiful songs is \"Despedida\" (Farewell), which she wrote in 1946. The song expresses the sadness and longing of two lovers who have to part ways. The lyrics say:
Una triste sonrisa
Tu labio dibujÃ
Una indiscreta lÃgrima
De mis ojos cayÃ
Tu mano entre la mÃa
Enlazadas las dos
Detener pretendÃa
Nuestra separaciÃn
Y sin decirnos nada
Nos dijimos AdiÃs!
A sad smile
Your lip drew
An indiscreet tear
From my eyes fell
Your hand between mine
Linked together
Tried to stop
Our separation
And without saying anything
We said goodbye!
The song continues with the narrator recalling the image of their beloved and asking them to come back and not forget the love they shared. The melody is haunting and melancholic, reflecting the mood of the lyrics.
You can listen to a rendition of \"Despedida\" by Paulina Villarreal and Sam Martin on piano here[^3^]. You can also download a PDF file of the sheet music for voice and piano here[^2^]. If you are a fan of Maria Grever's music or want to discover more of her songs, you can find a collection of her works in PDF format here.
Maria Grever was born in 1885 in LeÃn, Guanajuato, Mexico. She showed an early talent for music and composed her first piece of music, a Christmas carol, when she was four years old. She moved to Spain with her family when she was six and studied music in France with Claude Debussy and Franz Lenhard among her teachers. In 1907, she married Leo A. Grever, an American oil company executive, and became a U.S. citizen. She moved to New York City in 1916 and began working as a film composer for Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox studios. She joined ASCAP in 1935 and collaborated with lyricists such as Stanley Adams and Irving Caesar.
Grever was influenced by various musical genres, such as jazz, classical, and folk music. She was especially interested in Mexican music and its cultural richness. She said: âI had to leave my country, and now in New York, I am interested in Jazz and Modern Rhythms, but above all, in Mexican Music, which I long to present to the American people. I am afraid they don't know much about it. It is music worth spreading; there is such a cultural richness in Mexican Music (its Hispanic and indigenous origins and how they mix) where melody and rhythm merge. It is my wish and yearning to present the native rhythms and tunes (of Mexico) from a real perspective, but with the necessary flexibility to appeal to the universal audience.\\\"
Grever died in 1951 in New York after a prolonged illness. At her request, her remains were transported to Mexico City. Her songs have been covered internationally by a variety of artists, such as PlÃcido Domingo, Luis Miguel, Andrea Bocelli, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and many others. She is considered one of the most important and influential Mexican composers of the 20th century and a pioneer of Latin American music. 04f6b60f66